# How did you become a brony?



## DarkAura (Dec 21, 2011)

(If this should go somewhere else, can a mod please move it)

How did you get interested in MLP FiM?

For me, I was interested about a month after I joined here. I saw the MLP FiM club and I thought _If teenagers watch the show, then it must be good._ So I checked it out and I am totally hooked on it. I thank TCoD and all of its resident bronies for showing me the way to something that has changed my point of view in life. Basically, my life became 20% cooler.

So, how did you become a brony?


----------



## Murkrow (Dec 21, 2011)

I'd seen people go on about it on various websites but it's probably the thread(s) here that made me curious enough to watch it. That and the fact that loads of members changed their names to pony names.


----------



## Ever (Dec 21, 2011)

Coloursfall. His ponies are epicly epic. I was like daaang those ponies are cute I better watch the show herpaderp.


----------



## Tailsy (Dec 21, 2011)

Everyone was freaking out about it on IRC so I was like well hey sure.

And now my boyfriend's more into it than I am... sighs


----------



## ultraviolet (Dec 21, 2011)

I'm not really part of the fandom and I tend to find a lot of the pony fandom irritating, but I'm not really someone enjoys fandom much. It's a nice show and stuff, but I'm not a brony.


----------



## Zero Moment (Dec 21, 2011)

uv, I believe that guy in your sig is talking to you. *stabbed*



I just was. It's just a thing that hapened.


----------



## Ether's Bane (Dec 21, 2011)

DarkAura said:


> Basically, my life became 20% cooler.


...wow, this line really is overused.

Through TCoD, actually. Got on the bandwagon here, and it just grew from there, and now I'm highly immersed in the fandom - the only other fandom I'm this active in is Pokemon.

Also, @OP: You may not know this, but a legend among bronies attends this forum. Have you ever read the superb fanfic "Antipodes"?


----------



## spaekle (Dec 21, 2011)

I thought Cupcakes was a cool story if that counts.


----------



## Luxcario (Dec 21, 2011)

I saw all the animations/memes and everyone was talking about it on TCoD.



Rasrap Smurf said:


> loads of members changed their names to pony names.


oh yeah


----------



## Zero Moment (Dec 21, 2011)

Wow I just read up to like chapter 24 in about 2.5 hours.

Who is this amazing person, and can I give them a hug and some cake????????


----------



## Tarvos (Dec 21, 2011)

I'm with uv on this with the caveat that I haven't even seen the show. Basically: no?


----------



## Fireworks (Dec 21, 2011)

I have to thank this forum for getting me interested in checking it out with all the pony avatars and stuff around back when they first appeared. Now my life looks like this (except for the fact that I actually don't mind all that happening heh) + I even read tons of ponyfics, hang out in pony IRCs, converted literally like 70 people myself, and won a Rainbow Dash t-shirt. 

My life didn't feel empty before ponies, but in retrospect it was a lot emptier before then.


----------



## Scohui (Dec 21, 2011)

Watches Epic Cupcake Time
Was like "Wow...I wonder..."
Watches 1st episode

Now I can't stop.


----------



## Noctowl (Dec 21, 2011)

Watched some youtube poops of it, and then got homesick a few days later so I watched the first episodes.


----------



## Butterfree (Dec 21, 2011)

Everybody was creaming their pants over it so I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.

Specifically, I think the first I heard of it was when people on #tcod were disagreeing with some article somebody wrote after seeing the first episode that was all OH LOOK MY LITTLE PONY IS HOMOPHOBIC AND RACIST AND SMART-SHAMING. Then a bit later they linked Lauren Faust's reply, which was all about how she wanted to make a girls' show where the girls are characters with different and flawed personalities and where they have real adventures. I was intrigued. Then I saw the results of some kind of a poll of people who watched the show, in which the majority was men aged 18-25 or so. I was more intrigued, because that's rather unusual for a My Little Pony show.

I wouldn't call myself a brony because I really don't think it's the second coming, but I do enjoy it; it's funny and has amusing characters and some real shining moments. (Also, it manages to make me like the exaggeratedly vain fashionpony. Tell me a year ago that I'll like the exaggeratedly vain fashionpony and I'll go "whuh?") Shadey, on the other hand, is pretty crazy about it. It just makes him happy. And that makes me happy, so.


----------



## Harlequin (Dec 21, 2011)

I was at home for the Easter break and everyone on #tcod was all ponyponypony, so I was like "k", and then I downloaded most of series 1 and then watched up to like, episode ten. I enjoyed it! I introduced it to my university friends and one of them is now a hardcore brony.


----------



## Ultra-Saiyan Jace (Dec 21, 2011)

I once thought that My Little Pony was just for little girls, but as soon as I watched it, I started liking it, thanks to everybody that is up here that likes it.

Thanks, everybody for helping me see the "bigger picture"


----------



## Zhorken (Dec 21, 2011)

I can't stand the term "brony".  I don't care how many people say that it's not actually supposed to be gendered or bring frat boys to mind.  I'm not going to call myself a "bro", ny or otherwise.

That said, I don't remember exactly how I caught on to the fact that the Internet was abuzz about it, but I watched the first pilot episode at some point and kind of liked it.  I didn't realize it was a TV pilot episode, though; I thought it was part of a movie.  Then I never got around to continuing, but I kept linking fanart in #tcod because, hey, colourful ponies.  Eventually, a few other #tcoders decided to actually check out the show, and I clued in that it was actually a _show_, and jumped on the bandwagon.  Then each episode kept getting better than the last, and the rest is history.


----------



## Dannichu (Dec 21, 2011)

Legendaryseeker99 said:


> uv, I believe that guy in your sig is talking to you. *stabbed*


'That guy'? You will address Alan Davies with the proper level of respect :o

While not a huge fan, my housemate/Welsh BFF sat me down and we've watched all of series 1 and parts of 2. It's pretty good fun, and I like some of the characters, but I haven't found it obsession-worthy, and it ranks under both The Sarah Jane Adventures and Horrible Histories in terms of "shows I am a decade too old to be socially allowed to enjoy".


----------



## shy ♡ (Dec 21, 2011)

Zhorken said:


> I can't stand the term "brony".  I don't care how many people say that it's not actually supposed to be gendered or bring frat boys to mind.  I'm not going to call myself a "bro", ny or otherwise.


I feel the same way. 'Brony' just makes me shiver. e_e It's just, ew. MLP is such a sweet show and then you make it sound so gross like that. Ew.

I'm not the _biggest_ fan, though; it isn't the kind of thing I find it easy to obsess over. I finished the first season but never started the second, so I'll probably do that eventually. And sometimes I draw fanart because it's seriously the cutest style ever. I really like the show, but I'm... not that deeply invested in it...?


----------



## Zora of Termina (Dec 21, 2011)

It was during the phase where everyone had it as their usernames. Sable kept griping about how "a show like that can't be so popular without being a joke thing" so I offered myself up as a guinea pig. And it was wonderful.

And then she watched it. And now she may be even a bigger fan than me. I refuse to use the term "brony" though. It implies masculinity.

Also... shouldn't this be in Entertainment? And... not assuming that everyone is?


----------



## Zeph (Dec 21, 2011)

ultraviolet said:


> I'm not really part of the fandom and I tend to find a lot of the pony fandom irritating, but I'm not really someone enjoys fandom much. It's a nice show and stuff, but I'm not a brony.





Tarvos said:


> I'm with uv on this with the caveat that I haven't even seen the show. Basically: no?


Then why did you post in this thread if just to say "I am not one"?


As for me I was uh... Well, when everyone was obsessed with it, I never really _doubted_ that it was good, 'cause the same sort of thing of girly-kids'-show-that-is-actually-good thing happened with other shows in the past, I just didn't really want to watch it myself. Then one day I got really bored and decided I'd watch the first couple of episodes, then I watched half of season 1 consecutively before I even realised it.


----------



## Spoon (Dec 21, 2011)

I watched one of the earlier episodes after a ton of the hype I saw and wasn't all that fond of it. Then asked TCoDf for some episodes that they liked the best, and watched those. Since then, I've watched a bit here and there, and pixeled some of the pets and Spike because I was bored. Wouldn't call myself a fan by any means, but I know enough about it not to be hopelessly lost. 

I'm honestly going to be surprised if anyone in this thread found out about the series without the internet not somehow being involved.


----------



## Flareth (Dec 21, 2011)

Zora got me into it. As well as all of the buzz around here.

And now I'm a proud Pegasister (That's the female "brony" term that's sometimes used).


----------



## Murkrow (Dec 21, 2011)

Flareth said:


> And now I'm a proud Pegasister (That's the female "brony" term that's sometimes used).


What sort of annoys me is the needless extra syllable!
Why not just "pegasis"?
Is it because the plural can't be pegusi but the only other option for that would be this?  Probably just too similar to pegasus I guess.
It's just that I'm lazy and I want to know why a word that's longer than necessary is catching on more than the easier word to say :P


----------



## Zapi (Dec 21, 2011)

Rasrap Smurf said:


> What sort of annoys me is the needless extra syllable!
> Why not just "pegasis"?


Maybe because "pegasis" just looks like an accidental misspelling of "pegasus", but with "pegasister", you can tell it was intentional...? I dunno.

Anyway, I basically have the same story as almost everyone else here - I came to tcod knowing nothing about MLP:FiM, but when people started saying how it was actually good, I decided to check it out, and I liked it quite a bit. I'm not really caught up with the new episodes though :<


----------



## H-land (Dec 22, 2011)

Twilight Sparkle said:


> Everyone was freaking out about it on IRC so I was like well hey sure.
> 
> And now my boyfriend's more into it than I am... sighs


Exactly this, except without the boyfriend.
And with a lot more "it's this or read boring stories in Spanish for class" influencing the initial decision.

As for the term "brony", it's not my favorite (I don't use it when I'm not coerced to), but I do like it a lot more than "pegasis" (which I haven't actually heard used before) or "pegasister" (which I have seen, but don't like because I feel like it stresses an identity separate from most of the fandom that I don't see benefiting... anybody.)


----------



## ultraviolet (Dec 22, 2011)

Zephyrous Castform said:


> Then why did you post in this thread if just to say "I am not one"?


Because, funnily enough, I can like a show without being part of the fandom? o.o Not to mention that me and Tarvos aren't the only two people who have said so? I'm a passive fan of the show, and I don't see how my post is irrelevant. ?_? The fact that this thread asks the entire forum how they became a brony kind of assumes the whole forum is, so I wouldn't think it entirely unusual that a few people would say they weren't.



Zhorken said:


> I can't stand the term "brony".  I don't care how  many people say that it's not actually supposed to be gendered or bring  frat boys to mind.  I'm not going to call myself a "bro", ny or  otherwise.


this too! 'ponyhead' is rather nice, though.



Dannichu said:


> 'That guy'? You will address Alan Davies with the proper level of respect :o


Yeah, I wouldn't upset Jonathon Creek. Granted, he probably wouldn't do a lot, but you'll be sorry when something impossible happens and he's the only one who knows how it happened. :o


----------



## Zero Moment (Dec 22, 2011)

Ugh, "ponyhead" just sounds so /wrong/

I feel something weird in my head when I see that word, and I see terrifying pictures that I can't quite see clearly π_π


Also, it reminds me of the first castle boss in Link's Adventure :\


----------



## Jolty (Dec 22, 2011)

Zhorken said:


> I can't stand the term "brony".  I don't care how many people say that it's not actually supposed to be gendered or bring frat boys to mind.  I'm not going to call myself a "bro", ny or otherwise.


yeah I came in to say this
it's basically the same as "girl gamer" ooh i'm a GIRL and i play VIDEOMAGAMES got a PROBLEM LOL??? except it's ooh i'm a BOY and i like a GIRL'S SHOW

anyway I first watched MLP when everyone here had changed all their usernames so I was like ok let's have a look and it was good yay.
it's not the highest on my list-of-stuff-I-love but it is very enjoyable


----------



## DarkAura (Dec 22, 2011)

Ponyhead is a better term than brony, in retrospect. It implies both genders. Should I change the topic to "Ponyhead" instead of brony?


I actually heard about MLP FiM a year ago, when it first started, on another site, and I was thinking "What a baby show," but when TCoDers that were teenagers to adults watched it, I started to wonder...and I began watching all the episodes. =)


----------



## Zero Moment (Dec 22, 2011)

No do not change it to that word.


Say "How did you become a fan of My Little Pony" instead :u


----------



## Ether's Bane (Dec 22, 2011)

Legendaryseeker99 said:


> Wow I just read up to like chapter 24 in about 2.5 hours.
> 
> Who is this amazing person, and can I give them a hug and some cake????????


Here he is.



Tarvos said:


> I'm with uv on this with the caveat that I haven't even seen the show. Basically: no?


Give it a try! Seriously, it'll be worth it.

I'll get you started with these episodes - if I think I'm right about the stuff you like, you'll like these.

Lesson Zero
Party of One
The Best Night Ever


----------



## Zora of Termina (Dec 22, 2011)

No, no no. They aren't going to understand The Best Night Ever without the episodes leading up to it.

Here's how I did it. I was recommended to watch the two pilot episodes to set up the world and characters (knowing that would help in starting on the first episodes of Season 2, too), Then the Ticket Master to get the whole season plot arc started. After that, they could be watched in any order I liked. I personally watched them all in order, but...up to them.


----------



## Cerberus87 (Dec 22, 2011)

I watched one episode. It was funny but it didn't change my life. I do think the ponies are cute, though.


----------



## Zeph (Dec 22, 2011)

ultraviolet said:


> Because, funnily enough, I can like a show without being part of the fandom? o.o Not to mention that me and Tarvos aren't the only two people who have said so? I'm a passive fan of the show, and I don't see how my post is irrelevant. ?_? The fact that this thread asks the entire forum how they became a brony kind of assumes the whole forum is, so I wouldn't think it entirely unusual that a few people would say they weren't.


You do have a point in that the thread seemed rather presumptuous, and evidently I know that you don't have to be part of the fandom to like it, but I was just a little confused as to why especially Tarvos posted just to say "I do not watch the show" when the thread's clearly aimed at people who do. It's almost as if, I dunno, there were a thread aimed at people of a certain religion saying "Why are you a believer of this religion" and somebody posted to say "I am not a believer of this religion", you know?


----------



## Fireworks (Dec 22, 2011)

Zora of Termina said:


> No, no no. They aren't going to understand The Best Night Ever without the episodes leading up to it.
> 
> Here's how I did it. I was recommended to watch the two pilot episodes to set up the world and characters (knowing that would help in starting on the first episodes of Season 2, too), Then the Ticket Master to get the whole season plot arc started. After that, they could be watched in any order I liked. I personally watched them all in order, but...up to them.


While it is better to watch some of the other episodes first, in the end the important thing is that the first episode they watch hooks them in, which The Best Night Ever can do just fine (I know plenty of bronies who started with that ep). Frankly, I nearly didn't continue on watching after the double pilot being disappointing on first watch (now I love them though), but it certainly depends on the person which episode would be the best introductory one for them.


----------



## Minish (Dec 22, 2011)

I... liked it as a kid! I'm the kind of person who would watch it even if it hadn't become massive, so. I'm not sure what that says about me. Totally in the 'the term brony is creepy' camp, though. Aaaaand I'm a bit of a casual fan only.


----------



## Murkrow (Dec 22, 2011)

Zora of Termina said:


> No, no no. They aren't going to understand The Best Night Ever without the episodes leading up to it.


Not really, actually!

Part of the reason I like the show is because they don't actually do things wrong. I tried watching one of the old MLP films and I didn't like it much at all, and one of the main reasons was that the songs didn't mean anything, they felt like filler and just something colourful to watch and be distracted by.

A lot of the songs in FiM however serve a purpose! The song in Best Night Ever is there so that it gives the audience who haven't seen Ticket Master the information necessary to understand the episode, and for the people who have seen Ticket Master, it's something colourful to watch and be distracted by! And it gives this information while avoiding the trope As You Know, because since it's a song, certain tropes like that can be ignored since it isn't exactly realistic to burst into song in the first place!



Yes I know, I over-think EVERYTHING.


----------



## H-land (Dec 22, 2011)

ultraviolet said:


> 'ponyhead' is rather nice, though.


I must respectfully disagree.
(It makes me think of The Godfather.)

(That and terms with "head" in them usually sound _unusually_ silly. I can think of _one_ faction that uses "head" in its common name, yet I manage to almost take seriously.)


----------



## Jason-Kun (Dec 22, 2011)

Saw that people were fans of it but kept putting it off until the night of my High School graduation. Looked it up online and saw the Know your Meme page for it which had a link to the first episode. Plowed through the first four episodes and then polished the entire first season off in about a week, becoming really invested in the show less than 10 episodes in.


----------



## Tarvos (Dec 22, 2011)

> Give it a try! Seriously, it'll be worth it.


Or, I could do something I enjoy. I know what I like.


----------



## Aletheia (Dec 22, 2011)

I was exposed to the show via #tcod. Initially repulsed but it all worked out in the end. Now I write fan fics that get on EqD and that I will never share with anyone on TCoD because I am a masochist who likes to have multiple identities and keep secrets from people that I always worry will be discovered somehow! :D

(I was unaware of G4 so I thought you guys were watching G3 which is like the worst thing ever oh god I'm so sorry bronykind)


----------



## PK (Dec 23, 2011)

Effercon said:


> Here he is.


I totally didn't even notice this until just now. It's nice to know you're fans!


----------



## Notoriously Unknown (Dec 23, 2011)

I remember popping in here once and seeing quite a few of the most active and known members had changed there names and avatars to cuteness. I honestly thought that everyone was being ironic, supporting what seemed to be just another boring little girl’s show. I paid it no mind. Flash forward a few months and my best friend irl is talking about the show. Her and I watch the pilot together. Cookies all around, I really liked it. 
I've see quite a few episodes on my own time and I stop by Equestria Daily every once in a while, but I wouldn't call myself a "brony." I enjoy it, but I'm not that heavily invested in it, especially since Faust decided to demote herself and her influence in the show so she could go onto better things.


----------



## Aisling (Dec 23, 2011)

Mostly it was that first TCoD thread that got me interested. I didn't know anything about it before that, and I basically only knew what was in that thread before I started watching. I was a little skeptical at first because I was _not_ a fan of ponies in the state I previously knew them after I hit puberty, but after I saw the difference in art style and the interest shown by all of the like-minded individuals here, I was basically sold. I didn't have to find out most of the fandom are middle-aged dudes or whatever first, because asking myself "am I too old for this?" is just something I've never done anyway. Probably just something that comes with being an open Pokemon fan after you've left middle school.

I just can't get myself to actively participate in the fandom much though. I love looking at fanart and stuff, and I sometimes make fanart, but TCoD is still the only community that's managed to hold my attention for more than a month or so, and like others have said a lot of the MLP community has quirks that bother me too.


----------



## Murkrow (Dec 23, 2011)

Notoriously Unknown said:


> I remember popping in here once and seeing quite a few of the most active and known members had changed there names and avatars to cuteness. I honestly thought that everyone was being ironic,


Same here at first, except I wasn't sure if it was "irony" or "another one of Surskitty and Tailsy's weird jokes that a whole load of people are in on that only a handful of people will get"


----------



## Phantom (Dec 23, 2011)

I never got into My Little Pony... I watched like two episodes, but it was just like any other little kid's show to me. I didn't like it much, if at all. At least I tried it though.


----------



## Lady Grimdour (Dec 23, 2011)

I'm not. I watch the show, I like Rarity, but no. I like my grimdark thankyouverymuch.


----------



## Abwayax (Dec 31, 2011)

I am not a brony. I haven't seen any full episodes, although I have seen some clips here and there. I've seen some videos that mix it with other things like Team Fortress 2 (which I've never played either, despite my fascination of the culture around it) and have read "Cupcakes." As for the ponies themselves, I tend to like cute things in general.

It appeals to me in a strange way. Maybe if I have some free time I'll sit down and watch it.


----------



## Eloi (Dec 31, 2011)

Like Neon Genesis Evangelion, Saturday Morning  Breakfast Cereal, and others, I heard about it from the copious entry pimping on TV Tropes MLP:FIM had accumulated for itself. I was plesantly surprised by the quality of the show, and now its my girlfriend's and I's favorite to watch together. <3


----------



## surskitty (Dec 31, 2011)

Zhorken said:


> I can't stand the term "brony".  I don't care how many people say that it's not actually supposed to be gendered or bring frat boys to mind.  I'm not going to call myself a "bro", ny or otherwise.


Yyyyyyyyeah.  It's also like LOOK, THIS SHOW IS SO GOOD THAT _MEN LIKE IT_ DESPITE BEING FOR GIRLS

WHAT?  THERE ARE WOMEN WHO LIKE IT TOO?  NO ONE CARES 8|





Jolty said:


> yeah I came in to say this
> it's basically the same as "girl gamer" ooh i'm a GIRL and i play VIDEOMAGAMES got a PROBLEM LOL??? except it's ooh i'm a BOY and i like a GIRL'S SHOW


except no one ever claims 'girl gamer' is gender-neutral


Ummmm people in #tcod were watching it and people at the lgb(t) club at my uni were watching it (I say lgb(t) rather than quiltbag because it is not exactly very inclusive) and I figured I should check it out.  Yep.

I don't follow it religiously but I do record it and watch it with my mum and make marxist jokes about it.


----------



## Goldenpelt (Jan 5, 2012)

I'm pretty sure I was reading about it on TV Tropes. So I thought "Eh, I'll check this out."


----------



## Liteblu (Jan 5, 2012)

Last summer, I stumbled upon it on an image board. At first I thought everyone was making fun of it, so I did a little research. I found out that 18-24 year olds actually love it, and Lauren Faust had a hand in it. I gave it a shot then, and I even got my boyfriend into it. Now I watch it and I actually forget that it was intended for kids ten years younger than me.


----------



## natsuto (Feb 10, 2012)

I saw some people to watch, most of which are results of the survey of 18-25 year-old man. I'm more interested, because it is quite unusual to my little pony show.


----------



## Connoiseusse Burgundy (Feb 10, 2012)

One day, I realized ponies were freaking everywhere on the internet. I was curious about why everyone was talking about it, but not enough to watch it (though I did consider it). Then one day my friend told me he was a brony and told me some reasons why come the show was so awesome. So I watched the entire first season in about three days.


----------



## Spatz (Feb 11, 2012)

Here, and I hate you guys for it, as I'm essentially a closet brony. Even my 10 year old sister finds the series strange in comparison to the previous generation of ponies and thus refuses to watch it.

It's kinda sad, and I feel a little dead inside about it...


----------



## spaekle (Feb 19, 2012)

I watched Lesson Zero and the Discord episodes and now I am converted. :I I've been watching episodes in random order ever since and I am struggling with a strange compulsion to buy the toys. gg pony fad, you finally got me.


----------



## Shimmer Mint (Feb 19, 2012)

PenguinAndFriends said:


> One day, I realized ponies were freaking everywhere on the internet. I was curious about why everyone was talking about it, but not enough to watch it (though I did consider it). Then one day my friend told me he was a brony and told me some reasons why come the show was so awesome. So I watched the entire first season in about three days.


This is what happened to me.


----------



## NegativeVibe (Feb 19, 2012)

My sister has a My Little Pony plushie, but I think it's from one of the older series, which she never even watched.  She just really likes stuffed animals.  That was the first I had heard of it, besides the occasional TV commercial. 

...then I come back from the internet after vanishing due to schoolwork...and suddenly a bunch of people have pony avatars, which I thought was weird.  Then one guy at church starts talking about it and quoting it every five seconds and I have no clue what the _heck_ he is talking about.  

By this time, my curiosity is piqued.  I'm a _huge_ sucker for little kid's stuff - I still play with Legos well that and I love girly stuff too like disney princesses :DDDDD  - but I never got around to it.  

Second semester of college, I get a new roommate.  First off, finally someone who spends as much time on the internet as I do.  :D  He tells me that the show is awesome.  So after some convincing, I watched the first episode.  

I now _love_ the show, lol. ^______^


----------



## Frostagin (Mar 2, 2012)

Saw it was popular. Watched show. Decided, "Hey, this is actually a pretty good show". I have a Rainbow Dash toy now. :D


----------

